Three Lions roar into World Cup finals

SERRAVALLE, San Marino－Gareth Southgate said England's mentality was the key to qualifying for the World Cup in record-breaking style as Harry Kane scored four times in a 10-0 demolition of San Marino on Monday.

Needing a draw from its last Group I qualifier to reach next year's tournament in Qatar, England went goal crazy as it scored 10 in a single game for the first time since a 1964 friendly against the United States.

The result ranked as the Three Lions' biggest ever victory in a competitive match.

Harry Maguire put Southgate's side in front early on before Filippo Fabbri's own goal doubled England's lead.

England captain Kane took center stage after that, scoring four before the break.

Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe notched his first senior international goal in his maiden start.

Tyrone Mings headed his first England goal after San Marino's Dante Rossi was sent off, before Tammy Abraham and Bukayo Saka completed the rout.

Kane has scored 16 goals in 2021 for England, setting a calendar-year record for the Three Lions as he surpassed the 12-goal tallies of George Hilsdon in 1908 and Dixie Dean in 1927.

The 28-year-old moved level with Gary Lineker on 48 England goals, with only Bobby Charlton (49) and Wayne Rooney (53) above him.

"Harry is a phenomenal goal scorer. If we left him on another half an hour he might have got it (the record)," Southgate said.

"We would have had Wayne Rooney's family on the phone telling us to get him off!"

Group winner England finished the campaign unbeaten in its 10 matches. It has won more games (15), scored more goals (52) and kept more clean sheets (14) in 2021 than in any calendar year in its history.

"The qualification was earned away in Budapest, in Warsaw, in Albania and I've got to credit all of our players and staff on a really good year," Southgate said.

"The mentality, even in a game like tonight, we can't do anything about the level of the opposition but the way we played was terrific."

Southgate's men ended a memorable 2021 on a fitting high after they reached the Euro 2020 final in July－missing out on a first trophy since 1966 in a painful penalty shoot-out loss against Italy.

It will head to Qatar in 12 months established as one of the main contenders to win the World Cup.

"Now is a good period to reflect," Southgate said. "This is a good opportunity for us to look at the past few months, the younger players and the experiences they might need over the next six or seven months before a World Cup."

Kane was delighted with the stylish way Southgate's unbeaten side achieved its qualification target.

"We were fantastic. It came to the last game and we were expected to win but we've done a good job. Fantastic to go through," Kane told ITV.

"We still need to keep working. I feel like we have been improving year-on-year. We have to make the most of the time, every training session to fine-tune the little pieces."

Kane's 16 goals in 2021 is a calendar-year record for England and he is the first Three Lions player to score three or more in successive games since Tommy Taylor in 1957.

"Fantastic again. Every time I wear an England shirt I am proud and when I score goals it is one of the nicest feelings I can have in my career. Nice to be among those names," Kane said.

England took the lead in the sixth minute against a San Marino team bottom of FIFA's world rankings.

Maguire headed home a Phil Foden corner, before the Manchester United defender turned provider－finding Saka, who drilled a low shot that deflected in off Fabbri's boot in the 15th minute.

Kane stroked in a 27th-minute penalty awarded for a handball.

The Tottenham forward then guided home a Smith Rowe cross in the 31st minute before smashing in another spot-kick, again awarded for handball, eight minutes later.

Kane grabbed his fourth in the 42nd minute by weaving through the San Marino defense.

Smith Rowe fired in the seventh with a predatory finish in the 58th minute. After Rossi's red card for tripping Conor Gallagher, Mings headed home in the 69th minute.

Abraham made it nine in the 78th minute and, with England fans chanting "we want 10", Saka obliged with a close-range header 60 seconds later.

AFP